Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

In response to the Philippines claiming that the recent advisory opinion issued by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) "reinforces the legitimacy" of the South China Sea arbitration, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday that the opinion should not be used by certain countries for their selfish aims. "Any hypes that seek to mislead the public will fail. They will not turn the null and void award into a legal one," Mao said.

The ITLOS recently issued an advisory opinion regarding the obligations of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in addressing the impacts of climate change on the marine environment. Parts of it cited the Arbitral Tribunal's 2016 ruling on the South China Sea.

Philippine officials then stated that the ITLOS opinion "bolsters and reinforces the legitimacy of the final and binding 2016 Arbitration Award, and its unassailable status as part of the corpus of international law."

Responding to such claims at Friday's media briefing, Mao said that China's position on the arbitral award on the South China Sea is consistent and clear, and that the arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea Arbitration exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires and made an illegitimate ruling.

"The award does not constitute part of international law; instead it has had an adverse impact on the international rule of law," Mao said. "China neither accepts nor participates in that arbitration, neither accepts nor recognizes the award, and will never accept any claim or action arising from the award."

Mao argued that China's stance is to uphold the integrity and authority of UNCLOS and the international rule of law. China's position has received understanding and support from the international community.

Regarding the ITLOS advisory opinion, Mao said it focuses on climate change and marine environmental protection issues and doesn't cover issues of territorial and maritime disputes or the validity of arbitral award on the South China Sea.

"The advisory opinion bears on the overall interest of the international community and should not be used by some country as a tool to seek selfish gains. We believe that neither ITLOS or any other country would want to see the advisory opinion being distorted by that illegal, null and void award," the spokesperson noted.

Mao stressed that such attempts to mislead the public cannot weaken China's firm resolve to defend the country's territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests.

Global Times